


Chiisai Bara

by Ariadne_Yemoja



Category: Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2013-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-25 12:17:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/953000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ariadne_Yemoja/pseuds/Ariadne_Yemoja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new game begins, who will revolutionize the world?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old fic I wrote when I was still in school. Maybe I'll finish it. If I do I will change the warnings accordingly.  
> Enjoy!

            The frozen water shimmered slightly in the winter sunlight.  The creek, where they had spent their spring and summer, was in a state of sleep just like the rest of the woods.  Tara tried to shrink down into the warmth of her coat as she watched her brother climb down into the creek.

            “You shouldn’t be doing this you know.” She called.  Her brother snickered slightly and continued down.

            “Just shut up and stay there.” He called back.  She shook her head gently and continued to watch him scamper downward.  When he reached the creek bed he stepped carefully onto the ice ensuring that it would hold his weight.  Tara shoved her hands into the sleeves of her coat and hummed slightly.  Her brother reached into a small hole on the other side of the creek bed and felt around for what seemed like an hour.  He cheered when his hands closed on what he was looking for.  “I got them!” He called to her.

            “Good now get back up here.  We have to finish packing, Reese.” She said.  Her brother shrugged and started climbing up the side again after pocketing his treasure.  When he reached the top she grabbed his arm and helped pull her twin up the side.  Reese dusted his hands off and pulled his gloves back on quickly.

            “I’m in no rush to go, believe me.” He muttered.  Tara and her brother’s identical gray blue eyes met and she nodded.

            “Yes but this has already been decided.  It’s a big opportunity.” She whispered.

            “I know that’s what they told you, but that doesn’t make it true.” Reese shoved his hands into his pockets and they headed for their two story home on the hill in the distance.

            In another month the twins’ family would be moving to Japan.  Their father had gotten a job offer with a large interior design company as their personal accountant.  So the private school that the twins went to suggested a sister school they had there, Ohtori Academy.  Tara sighed and looked at the ring on her finger.  It was an ivory ring with the school symbol, a rose, carved into its top.  It was only given to those on the school council or those who graduated with honors.  Tara and Reese were both on the student council at Lyceum Academy so they were allowed to keep their rings as a going away gift.  Their teachers seemed to have the hope that they would do the same at Ohtori.  Reese looked at his sister and then looked down at his own ring finger.  It was currently covered but he could feel it there.  Tara took her brother’s hand and they continued up the hill away from the woods.

            “So what were you trying to get so badly?” She asked.  Reese grinned and pulled two small rings from his pocket.  They were cheap bronze plated rings with their birthstones in them, a gift from their parents when they were six.  They had hidden them so they could play pirates once and had been called to dinner.  With the pirate game driven from their minds the rings had remained there for years.  Tara smiled at the dirt covered rings and took one of them.  “We’ll have to find chains for them; we certainly can’t fit them anymore.”

            “I’ve got some cord in the house we can use.” Reese paused for a moment and sighed.  “I just couldn’t stand the thought of leaving them here.”

            “Yeah…I know.” Tara whispered.  She looked up at the door of the house and saw her mother peering out the window waiting for them patiently.  Her jet black hair fell down about her shoulders softly, her gray eyes warm.  The twins waved to the window and the woman behind it smiled.

 

            The man with the violet hair frowned darkly as he stared out the window of his bedroom at the surrounding academy.  It had been five years since he became the head of the academy.  In the background he could hear his wife stirring.  He frowned deeper and pulled a rose from the windowsill planter.  He began to pluck the petals off one by one flicking them onto the floor.  Kanae stood behind him silently, looking as blank as ever in his opinion.  He ignored her for a moment and then she kneeled at his feet laying her head in his lap.  He stroked her pale green hair absently, like a child petting a toy.  With the other hand he tossed the sundered stem aside.  He was bored, and he was ready to try again.  He looked over at the two new files on his desk not far from where he sat and smiled at the two that would make everything better.  Twin gray blue eyes stared up at him beneath jet black lashes.


	2. Chapter 2

            They stood over the caskets holding hands, seeking comfort from each other.  Tara sniffed gently trying not to cry.  Reese looked on stoically feeling distinctly numb throughout his body.  Everything had been dashed with the aid of one desperate junkie.  They had lost both their parents and their family with two shots of a gun.  Tara and Reese listened to the priest as he gave them their last right.

**_(Ashes to ashes, Dust to dust…)_ **

Tara’s tear stained eyes looked up from the twin caskets and fell on the face of a man who stood by with a disinterested woman.  His eyes were a deep green and his hair fell about his face in violet waves.  His skin was brown like a sandy desert.  The man looked up at her and smiled slowly.  Something about that smile made her shiver and Reese turned to her with a look of infinite concern on his face.  Tara shook her head as if to dismiss it but she could feel the man’s eyes still on her.  Reese sighed and squeezed Tara’s hand.  When the priest finished, Reese lead her to the car only to be stopped by the man his sister had noticed only moments earlier.  He approached the car and smiled down on both of them gently.

            “Reese and Tara Merit, right?” He said.  The man’s voice was deep and soothing but Tara just continued to shiver.  Reese put an arm around his sister and nodded.  He looked over at the woman who was with the man and wondered why she seemed so dead.  Her violet eyes watched them silently and she offered only the smallest of smiles.  She seemed not to know where she was.  Reese turned back to the man who nodded apologetically.  “This is my wife, Kanae Ohtori Himemiya.  My name is Akio Himemiya.  I am actually the head of Ohtori Academy.”  Reese smiled and Tara tilted her head.

            “We’ll be living with our Aunt now sir, we can’t go anymore.”  The man named Akio nodded to the little girl.

            “That’s what I was afraid of.  I was hoping you would still go, considering what good students you were at our sister school.  I’d hate to see you all wasted in a public school.”  Reese looked at their Aunt who waited patiently.  A breeze rose up and ruffled his short black hair.  He turned to his sister whose equally black hair danced gently.

            “We would like to still go but there is no way.” Reese said sadly.  “Our Aunt can’t afford that.”  Akio pulled a card from his wallet and smiled kindly.

            “I’m sure I can work it out.  After all it is my school now.  Perhaps you will give me a call and we can make it happen.” Tara took the card.  As Akio pulled his hand back the scent of roses wafted over her, almost overwhelming her.  She looked over at her brother and wondered if he could smell it too, and noted that his eyes lingered on the woman behind Akio.  An expression of concern she had seen many times bloomed on her brother’s face.  When Tara actually gazed at the woman she could understand why.  Kanae Ohtori Himemiya had a very characterless expression on her face that reminded Tara of an old fashioned Lolita doll.  Tara shivered again and Reese was pulled out of his reverie.

            “Thank you sir,” Reese started and ushered Tara into his aunt’s car.  “We will have to talk this over with our Aunt first.” He whispered.  Akio nodded and smiled gently.  Tara could smell the roses as the man and his wife walked away.  Reese slid in next to her and they stared at each other thoughtfully.

            “Is everything alright?” Their Aunt asked.  She primped her dark brown curls in the mirror and turned her gray eyes on them.  Agatha was their mother’s older sister, and as usual she seemed slightly more interested in the state of her appearance than whether or not anything was the matter with them.  Tara smiled wanly, for all the similarities between their mother and her sister they were only physical.  Agatha looked at them from the mirror and raised a carefully shaped eyebrow curiously.  Reese took the card from Tara and stared at the Rose Sigil that emblazoned it.  He sighed and handed the card to their aunt.

            “That man was the Headmaster at Ohtori Academy, from Japan.  He wanted to know if we still wanted to go because of our good track record at their sister school in New England.” Their aunt snorted at the statement he made and pulled off.

            “Well I definitely can’t afford that high class education you all are so accustomed to.” She said sharply.  Tara nodded a little taken aback at the tone in her voice.

            “That’s what we told him Auntie, but he said if we wanted to go he could pull some strings since we were part of the student council back home.” She said.  Agatha shook her head.

            “Then he can pull some strings for you back at your old school, we’re staying in New England.” Reese shook his head as if he was losing patience already.

            “He wouldn’t be able to do something like that Aunt Aggie, it’s not his school.  If we go back home we’re on our on as far as school goes.” Reese gripped his pants, irritated.

            “Well it looks like the local school it is, then.  But if you guys were on the council and all they might let you back in…although how it would be paid for I wouldn’t know.” Agatha sighed sadly and turned down a street.  “I wish your mother and father had moved to Japan sooner.  Maybe my sister would still be here.” Tara and Reese both looked out their windows and said nothing, but it was no question that they felt the same way.

 

            Akio pushed down the pedal on his red convertible and smiled wistfully.  They both suited his needs so perfectly and he couldn’t believe how lovely to gaze at they were.  He looked over to Kanae who pushed her wind swept hair out of her pale face.  She stared off and whispered to him so gently that he was amazed he heard it.

            “The Aunt will take them away.” Akio frowned for a moment and thought of the woman that waited on them by the car.  She looked like a fairly vain woman to him and he knew he could goad her into letting them stay.  But they would have to want it.  Akio gripped the staring wheel and pushed the convertible even faster.  He would have to play the waiting game, but that was okay, he was no stranger to that.  While he waited, he would have to find some other people to fill the other roles of the council.  He smiled and drove on.


	3. Chapter 3

            High school was not as they said in television the best time of your life.  In fact that was as far from the truth for Tara and Reese as they could imagine.  For one they wouldn’t let them into the honor’s courses which meant that they had to take the regular ones.  The work was way too easy and they were bored, which tended to get them into trouble a lot.  For another the students counted them as know it alls and teacher’s pets, so they didn’t have any friends there.  Reese shouldered his backpack trying to ignore the stinging pain emanating from his lip.  Tara stared at him in concern and he shrugged it off.  At lunch one of the seniors there tried to take Tara’s chain, which held her little bronze plated ring and her signet from the Lyceum student council.  Reese had jumped on him and nearly won, but the senior’s friends had a problem with that.  All the same the senior had released his hold on her chain and had left them alone.  Tara had admired his resolve and wished she could have been of more help.  Reese squeezed her hand and did his best to smile.  She laughed at his attempt, and after awhile he joined in too.  They walked out the door and headed home.

            As they entered the apartment complex Tara froze.  Reese looked back at her curiously and watched as she lifted her nose up into the air like a puppy scenting something familiar.

            “What the hell is wrong with you?” He asked slowly.  Tara looked at him and frowned thoughtfully.

            “I smell flowers…that man smelled just like this, do you remember?” She asked.  Reese shrugged.

            “You’re sense of smell was always better than mine.” He looked up the stairs and harrumphed.  “But maybe he’s here to save us from this crap we call school.” They both trudged up the steps side by side wondering what would greet them when they entered their home.

 

            Akio sat across from the table with the woman.  Her brown hair lacked the luster of the twins but it was sweet smelling.  Her eyes seemed dull to him but then he was a perfectionist.  Akio smiled and flirted, listened as she stated her concern over the problems her niece and nephew were having.  She stirred her coffee distractedly and sighed.

            “I just worry now that they aren’t getting what they need.  I know they needed to be in those honor classes but the school just wouldn’t let them in.  They said that they should find the regular classes satisfactory.” She shook her head and rested her chin on her hands.  “Honestly I’m glad that you came.  I can’t afford to get them back in their own school and they said that you might be able to help somehow so…” Akio just smiled gently and nodded.

            “Well what I can do is limited to my own school, but if they want to go and be treated better then I can certainly make it happen.  My wife Kanae was just saying what a shame it was that they wouldn’t be able to attend.  Do you know when…” As he spoke they entered the room, carrying a bit of their own light with them.  They watched him curiously but were suddenly jarred by their aunt’s shriek.

            “Reese, what happened to your face?!” Reese touched his lip, and even that small gesture was pleasing to watch.  Akio listened as they talked about the fight Reese got into and watched as their aunt went to get a bag of ice for his face.  Akio stood and bowed slowly.  When he looked up he saw the wonder in the girl’s eyes.  She pushed a strand of long black hair out of her face and smiled softly.  Reese bowed in return his own hair falling into his face.  He had let it get long over the summer.  He was taller than his sister by at least a half a foot but you couldn’t mistake them for anything but family.  Tara flopped onto the vine patterned couch and watched as their aunt fussed over her brother.  Akio could tell for all her vanity and cheapness she did care about them.  He frowned a little at that.  He had never known a parent that really cared about him or his…he stopped the thought before it started.  Whenever Akio thought about her he felt a deep sense of betrayal and anger.  He looked at Tara with a smile.  But she wouldn’t betray Reese, she couldn’t even dream of it.  When their aunt had sufficiently coddled them she seated them at the table with Akio and smiled gently.

            “I invited Mr. Himemiya over when I heard he was in the states, apparently all the sister schools of your old academy had a convention today so he was in town.  He called to see how you were doing a week ago and told me about it.” She finished.  The twins looked at each other.  Akio never had a twin so he could only guess at the connection they had but he smiled patiently and sipped the coffee in front of him.  It was getting a little cold.

 

            Reese turned to Akio and cleared his throat.  “So you will help us get in to your school if we wanted to go back to an academy?” Akio smiled and nodded.

            “Only if you do something for me in return…” He said softly.  Tara leaned forward inspecting the signet on his hand.  Akio held it out for her so she could see the ring more clearly and she smiled and stared at it.  “I would like both of you to join the student council.  You were the president and vice president respectively at Lyceum, I can’t guarantee the same positions but I know you’ll get whatever needs to handled, well…handled.”  Reese sipped his soda thoughtfully.

            “Well we don’t mind doing that, and it would be something familiar.”

            “I have one more request.  You see it will be a lot easier for me to pay your tuition if you had a familial tie to me.” With this he looked at their aunt who looked up warily as if sensing where it was going.  Tara and Reese sat up sharply and stared at Akio Himemiya.  “I know it will be hard to do, but I must ask if you will allow me to adopt Tara and Reese.” Agatha hissed inwardly as if she were having trouble breathing.  Reese was about to protest when Akio held up his hand.  “Please let me finish.  I would not deny your aunt guardianship, but you will be living on campus anyhow.  Of course she would come see you; I’d even pay for it.  But some things even I can’t get around.  And the truth of the matter is it would be a lot easier for me to fund your education if the board sees a reason for me to do so.  Kanae and I have no kids and to be honest, I don’t think she’s capable of bearing any.  So I thought it would be a good arrangement for all of us.  Of course while you’re away from your aunt I would like you to think of me as a guardian but…” Akio spread his hands in a ‘what can you do’ gesture and waited.  Tara and Reese looked at each other and then at their aunt who looked stunned that he would even ask such a thing of her.  She looked about ready to tell him off when Reese grabbed her hand and smiled.  Tara looked at Akio and spoke politely.

            “Mr. Himemiya, would you please give us time to discuss this?” Akio smiled and stood leaving a piece of paper on the table.

            “This is the number of the hotel I am staying in.  I will be here another two days.  Please, give me a call should you decide to agree.”  Tara walked with him as he headed towards the door.  She was fascinated by the scent that emanated from him.  She was almost captivated.  She nodded as he bowed and left his pale violet hair curling gently about his shoulders.  She turned around and found her aunt shaking with what was unmistakably anger.

            “How could he ask something like that of me?!” She roared.  Agatha stood and started pacing despite Reese’s best efforts to pull her back to her seat.  Agatha turned on Tara sharply.  “And no we will not discuss this, this isn’t even an option.” Tara shook her head and frowned.

            “I don’t like the idea either Auntie, but I just watched my brother fighting for the second time in two weeks.  We are not learning anything we don’t know…and we aren’t happy.”

            “So you’re saying that you’d be happier with this stranger as your new guardian rather than family?!” she screeched.  Reese watched her sister as she shook her head no.  In his heart though, he said yes.  Tara set her jaw determined to get her point across.

            “No we wouldn’t be happier with him, but we would be happier in that school.  Besides, whether we are adopted by him or not, we would be in the dorms, not with him.  And nothing will change the fact that you are our Aunt.” Tara finished.  Reese silently applauded his sister’s way with words as he finished his can of soda.

 

            Akio lay in his hotel bed, staring at the ceiling thoughtfully.  He was going to have to convince their aunt that this was the best course of action.  He thought that seeing to it they couldn’t get into the Honor classes would be enough on its own.  Everyone knew that children who weren’t getting the right level of stimulation usually ended up causing trouble or ignoring the work all together.  His cell phone was ringing; he glanced at his jacket that lay slung over the high back chair and sat up reluctantly.  Akio didn’t recognize the number at all.

            “Moshi moshi.” He said.

            “Still playing the game, are we?” said the small female voice on the other end.  His heart stopped for a moment and it took everything in him to remain calm.  Akio stared blankly out the large window in front of him.

            “Hello…Anthy.”


	4. Chapter 4

            Reese and Tara were supposed to be at school…but they weren’t.  In fact they couldn’t be further from going to school right now if they tried.  Reese leaned back on the hill behind the complex and sighed.  Their aunt had left early today telling them to take the day off so she could go talk to the school about Reese’s likely suspension.  Tara sat beside him doodling quickly into her sketchpad.  Spring was here in full, and it was definitely a good day to play hooky.  Reese raised his hand and looked at the clouds through his browning fingers.  He thought about his mother for the first time in months and looked over at Tara.  She was going to look just like her when she got older… _but then_ , he thought, _so will I_.  Tara looked up at him and smiled big.  Her jet black hair fell in her heart-shaped face, obscuring her bright eyes for a moment.

            “Let’s go inside and make some sandwiches.” She said gently.  Reese sat up and grinned.

            “Yeah, alright.  That’s a plan.”

 

            Agatha Lincoln stared at the address on the paper, and looked back up at the hotel.  She couldn’t imagine what she would do if he wasn’t in.  She did go to the school and they had told her that Reese would be suspended for at least a week.  She had balked and complained but there seemed to be nobody willing to listen to her.  It almost felt like she had no choice but to come to him.  She sighed and adjusted her top.  She pulled out her compact and gave her hair and makeup a once over.  Closing it with a snap she began to head into the hotel.

 

            She was sitting by the desk when he returned.  Akio smiled at her and offered to buy her a cup of coffee that was sure to taste better than the swill she had given him the other day.  Akio pulled out her chair in the café and waited for her to situate herself before speaking.

            “So how can I help you today Ms. Lincoln?” He asked.  Agatha stared at him for a moment and then turned away.

            “If…if I were to…to actually give them into your custody, would you swear to me that they would be well taken care of?” Akio feigned surprise and smiled warmly.

            “Of course I would.”

            “Because their parents loved them a great deal, and they are all I have of my sister in this world…” Akio took her hand and placed a finger to her lips.  He continued to smile as he spoke.  Agatha would swear later that she could smell roses around her, but she wouldn’t remember exactly why she thought that.

            “I would treat them as precious gems.  I would never harm them.  Of course I’ll fly you out as often as you like so that they may get to see you, and you them.” He whispered.  He reached out and brushed the tears that were welling up in her eyes.  Her head dropped and suddenly he found her quite attractive.  He kissed her hand and held it a moment longer.

            “I want them to be…happy…”

            “Of course you do.  But let’s face it; can you really take care of them?  Can you give them everything they need or want?” He said slowly.  Agatha looked taken aback by the question and shook her head.

            “I do alright…” She started.  He smiled and nodded.

            “But you did even better before your sister stuck you with them didn’t you?  You are single and loving life.  You don’t want to play mommy, you don’t want to deal with this.” Agatha’s face went slack for a moment and she started to cry.

            “I just wanted to do…”

            “Right by them and your sister’s memory.  I understand.  They will be cared for.” Akio finished.  Agatha nodded and stood, wiping her face quickly.  “I will bring the paperwork by tomorrow and you can sign it.  As long as the twins are fine with it all, they will be coming with me by the end of the week.” Akio said softly.  Agatha nodded again, and suddenly wondered why she had been playing mommy anyway.

 

            Akio leaned over the arm of the overstuffed chair and laughed.  The phone lay on his bed turned off.  Anthy didn’t know what she was talking about.  He let his hair fall over his shoulders like a pale lavender wave.  He thought about the conversation the night before and wondered how she would feel to know that he indeed got the twins like he wanted.

**_(You know it won’t work this time either…)_ **

Akio looked at the picture of Reese and Tara that came with their files and smiled.  She didn’t know.  She had given up everything to find someone who no longer existed anywhere.  She gave up dreams for an uncertain future.  With them he would have another chance to obtain eternity.

**_(The only thing truly eternal, brother, is hope…)_ **

Hope…he turned his head and looked out the window.  What did he hope for?

**_(Just like someone was willing to give it all up for me…)_ **

Akio wasn’t sure anymore what his hopes were…or if he had any at all.  What did he hope to gain by gaining eternity?  He closed his bright green eyes and felt tears coming on.  Perhaps he wanted to be who he once was.

**_(Someone will be willing to give it all up for them.)_ **

No there was no one like what he once was anymore…except this boy.  But they would come…those who craved eternity.  They always came.  Akio stood and turned on his phone.  The blinking icon told him someone had left a message for him.  Apparently it was someone from Ohtori calling.  He turned on his answering machine and let the female voice play back to him.

            “Mr. Chairman, this is Vice Principal Arisugawa.  I’m just calling to find out how the trip is going.  How is our sister school Lyceum?” There was a click and the message ended.  It was so like her to get straight to the point.  Jury was free of him; she would no longer play the game either.  Akio smiled and dropped the phone on his bed again.  Tomorrow…the game would begin anew…

**_(I found her Akio…I finally found her…)_ **


	5. Chapter 5

            Reese and Tara looked around the dorm and smiled.  It was a large room in the West Wing campus of the Ohtori Academy.  They looked at the bunk beds and grinned at each other brightly.  Tara scrambled onto the top bunk without thought and started rolling back and forth on the bed happily.

            “It’s nice to be someplace at least slightly familiar.” She said with relish.  Reese threw his bag on the bed and tossed up her bag.

            “Hmm, although I do feel really bad about Auntie. I think it hurt her in a big way to give Mr. Himemiya custody of us.  She seemed so distant when we got on the plane.”

            “Yeah but he’s only our guardian in name.  Really she’s still in charge.”  Tara responded lightly.  Reese nodded but he didn’t look any happier about it.  Tara hung over the rail of the bed letting her long hair drape down like a shining black curtain.  She smiled at him again, giving him a nice big wide grin.  He looked at her and with a cruel smirk he threw his pillow at her face.  She pulled herself out of its way and hung back down making a mean face.  Reese laughed and she scampered down from the bunk quickly.

            “This room is pretty big isn’t it?” She said thoughtfully.  Reese shrugged.

            “I suppose as his new adopted kids he was giving us special privilege.” He said.  He lay back across his bed and smiled.  “The rest of the building seems pretty empty too.  Let’s walk around and see if anyone else is in this wing.”

            Outside the room they moved down the hallway knocking on the doors as they went thinking someone would answer.  After awhile they began just pushing open doors as they walked by.

            “There actually seems to be no one else here.”  Reese whispered confused.  Tara shrugged and looked down the steps.

            “Well let’s go check the kitchen in this place.  There definitely should be someone there right?  I mean we can cook but don’t most of the kitchens have there own staff?”  She said softly.  Reese shrugged and they ran down the steps as loudly as possible trying to grab the attention of whoever was there with them.  Reese jumped the last three steps and his sister slid down the rail quickly both landed with a thud and took off through the rooms peeping here and there.  When they reached the dining room they called out loudly.

            “Hello, we’re the Merit twins.  We just moved in today.  Hello?” Tara yelled.  Reese and Tara walked through the tables admiring how clean the white cloths were and smiled at the silver candleholders everywhere.  When they reached the kitchen they shoved it open hopefully and were not disappointed.  Standing there was a short slender woman nearing her thirties.  Her head was slightly rounded and reminded Tara of an onion.  Her brown hair was pulled back into a single ponytail and at her temples were ringlets curling down to her chin.  She looked at them and smiled kindly.

            “Well hello Merit twins, you certainly can make a lot of noise.”  Reese grinned and scratched his head apologetically.

            “Sorry we were just trying to get someone’s attention.  Is there any other student living here at all?” The woman bent over and pulled a tray of pastries out of the large oven behind her.

            “Nope, just you two for now.  As the chairman of Ohtori Academy’s children you’ve been given some special privileges.”  She said softly.  “I’ve been hired to cook and keep the place clean for you but try not to be to messy okay.” She asked jokingly.  Reese and Tara looked at each other and shrugged.

            “Okay, but he’s only our guardian not our father.” Tara said softly.  The woman with the brown hair looked at them and smiled.

            “Of course.”  She placed a sweet smelling bun in both of there hands and smiled.  “My name is Wakaba Shinohara by the way.” Reese looked at the bun and bit into it.  Japanese sweets were strange to him but they were often tasty.  Tara bit into hers without thought and smiled.

            “Thank you, Ms. Shinohara.” She said.  The woman smiled and waved them off.

            “Wakaba will do just fine.  If you start calling me Ms. I’ll seem a lot older than I am.”  The twins laughed slightly and finished their pastries hurriedly.  Reese looked at her and grinned.

            “We better finish unpacking Wakaba, thank you again for the cakes.” He said politely.  The woman nodded and watched them as they bounded off back up the steps.  She smiled slightly as she turned back to the oven and put her hands on her hips.

            “I guess I better get dinner ready.  What sweet children…” She whispered.

 

            Akio sorted through file after file of students and paused over a red haired girl.  He stared at the photo for a long time and smiled when going through the info.

            “Kiriyuu, Hitomi…” he read aloud.  Kanae kneeled on the floor and leaned her head against his knee letting her pale greenish hair spill over it like a curtain.  Behind that folder was a picture of a blonde boy with a similar face and the same blue eyes.  “Tsuwabuki, Touga…”  Akio laughed for awhile and lined the pictures up with the pictures of the Merit twins.  “So my former president’s daughter and his sister’s devoted son…”  Akio laughed again while Kanae twisted her hair up into a loose bun.

            “Will you add them to your dream?” she asked from her place on the floor.

            “Of course, I think they fit don’t you?” he said stroking one of her stray curls. 

            “Their parents will stop you…” she said slowly.

            “No I don’t think they will…in fact, they might still be useful to me themselves…even Juri.”

 

            Juri walked into the building with her son at her side.  They were not identical in looks but they did resemble each other in mannerisms.  They both stood tall with backs straight.  They almost looked regal in appearance.  Juri pushed her golden curls over her shoulder, and her son pushed his burgundy waves out of his eyes. 

            “You have a council meeting this afternoon, Ruka?” Juri asked kindly.  Her son nodded and turned his brown eyes on her.

            “Yes, we are meeting two new members today.  Those children Mr. Himemiya adopted, I think.”

            “They do start school today; I wonder why he wants them on the council so soon.”

            “Apparently they were on the council as president and vice-president in their old school.  They are supposed to be pretty smart too, for Americans any way.” he said.  Ruka turned to his mother and smiled.  They were both the same height; she could remember when he was tiny and reaching up to her.  She touched his cheek gently and he smiled wider.

            “Have a good day today son.” she said.  Ruka bowed and jogged off to his first class.  Juri Arisugawa made her way to her office her golden locket glinting against her neck as she walked.  She touched it briefly and opened it up.  Inside was a photo of her and Ruka when he was small.  She smiled and closed the locket with a snap.  “He was the best thing you ever gave me.” she whispered cheerfully.


End file.
